The invention relates to vending apparatus, and more particularily to a vending machine having a slot machine function for amusement, with cooperation between the two functions.
Various types of vending apparatus are well known. Also, slot machine amusement devices are well known and have appeared in various forms in territories where they are legal. In the 1920's and 1930's in the U.S., there were in use numberous slot machines which also, incidentally, dispensed a mint or candy on a non-chance basis each time a coin was inserted and the handle was pulled. However, in these machines the dispensing of the mint or other prize was merely to avert anti-gambling laws, was incidental to the gaming function of the machine, and was accomplished purely by mechanical means. The pull of the handle mechanically opened a gate to dispense the prize.
No previous vending machine has exhibited or suggested the advantageous combination of vending features and slot machine amusement function as in the present invention described below.